Support bar for suspended ceiling light fixture

ABSTRACT

Suspended ceiling systems are provided with light fixtures which are supported by the gridwork of the suspended ceiling system. Herein, a support bar is positioned relative to two adjacent main runner structures of a suspended ceiling system for the purpose of supporting one side of a light fixture. The light fixture is hung from two adjacent support bars which are in turn supported by the main runner portion of the ceiling system.

United States Patent [191 Wasson [4 1 Mar. 19, 1974 SUPPORT BAR FORSUSPENDED CEILING LIGHT FIXTURE [75] Inventor:

[73] I Assignee: Armstrong Cork Company,

Lancaster, Pa.

[22] Filed: Mar. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 237,052

Kenneth L. Wasson, Lancaster, Pa.

[52] US. Cl 248/214, 52/28, 248/343 [51] Int. Cl. F21! 3/02 [58] Fieldof Search 248/214, 215, 342, 343,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1967 Sutter. 52/28 8/1933Yeager..." 2/1937 Venzie 52/484 X 3.711.052 1/1973 Hoffman 248/343 X3,039,729 6/1962 Nagle 248/343 2,939,669 6/1960 Pascucci 248/343 FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,413,410 8/1965 France 248/343 PrimaryExaminer-J. Franklin Foss [5 7] ABSTRACT Suspended ceiling systems areprovided with light fixtures which are supported by the gridwork of thesuspended ceiling system. Herein, a support bar is positioned relativeto two adjacent main runner structures of a suspended ceiling system forthe purpose of supporting one side of a light fixture. The light fixtureis hung from two adjacent support bars which are in turn supported bythe main runner portion of the ceiling system.

3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure SUPPORT BAR FOR SUSPENDED CEILING LIGHTFIXTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Theinvention herein is directed to a suspended ceiling system and, moreparticularly, to a light fixture support bar in a suspended ceilingsystem.

2. Description of the Prior Art In U. S. Pat. No. 3,352,07], theconventional cross runner 12 is used to carry the lighting fixture. Thisis a very typical installation for supporting a light fixture in theceiling system.

U. 5. Pat. No. 3,581,448 is another example ofa support structure forholding a light fixture in position in a ceiling assembly.

A number of different structures are available in the art to support alighting fixture. Herein, there is provided a support bar structurewhich may be positioned anywhere within the ceiling system to support alight fixture in position. The support bar is carried by the main runnerstructures and can position the light fixture anywhere within twoadjacent main runner structures without having the need to restrict thelight fixture placement relative to the placement of the cross runnerstructures which heretofore have been the basic support structures forthe light fixtures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Main runner structures are the primary supportelements for a suspended ceiling system. A plurality of the main runnerstructures are placed in a side-by-side relationship. normally spaced 2feet apart. The light fixture is meant to be positioned between, andextending along, the main runner structures. The invention herein is asupport bar which has collapsible legs. The structure is in a collapsedstate for shipment, and the legs are extended to their operationalposition when the support bar is mounted in position. The support barsare formed with ends on the leg structures which permit the support barsto readily engage the vertical web of the main runner structure. Thisthen holds the support bar in position spanning the distance between twomain runner structures. Two support bars are positioned between twoadjacent main runner structures, and a light fixture is hung from thesupport bars.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The sole FIGURE is a perspective viewof the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT rality of ceiling boards ortranslucent lens elements are,

positioned on the horizontal flanges 4 of the main runner structures.Since the boards and lenses are approximately 4 feet in length. crossrunner structures would be provided to support the edges of two adjacentboards or lenses. These cross runner structures are very similar toelements 12 of US. Pat. No. 3,352,071.

Since the placement of the cross runner structures is controlled by theboard or lens size and, since they are not of great structural strength,it is more convenient to support lighting fixtures from supplementalsupport elements rather than the cross runner structures.

Herein, is provided a support bar structure for supporting lightfixtures in a suspended ceiling system. The support bar structure ispositioned to span two adjacent main runner structures 2 and the supportbar is carried by the vertical web 6 of the main runner structures 2. Insome main runner structures, the vertical web is an I-I-shape and thesupport bar structure herein can be used with one leg of the H or withthe single leg of the inverted T-shape. In the embodiment shown in thedrawing, the support bar is basically composed of a main body structure8 and two leg assemblies 10.

The main body structure 8 is basically an inverted U- shaped channelstructure which is slightly longer than the distance between twoadjacent main runner structures 2. Slot structures 12 are provided inthe surface 141 of the channel structure. The slots 12 are for use withthe light fixture support strap of the abovementioned copendingapplication.

Each of the leg assemblies 10 is fastened by a pin 16 to the end of themain body structure 8. The pin 16 not only fastens the leg assemblies tothe main body structure, but also functions as a pivot point which willpermit the leg assemblies 10 to swing relative to the main bodystructure 8.

The leg assemblies 10 are of basically a modified U- shape. Each leg 20of the U is roughly triangular in shape. Generally, the base of thetriangle is positioned by the side of the main body structure 8 and thepivot pin 16 passes through one corner of the base. Closely adjacent thepivot pin a little lock tab 18 is formed to lock the leg in position.The lock tab is formed by cutting out a piece of metal along three sidesfrom the side legs 20. The tab is formed very similarly to theprotuberance 34 of U. S. Pat. No. 3,352,071. When the triangular sidesof the leg assemblies 10 are positioned adjacent the main body member 8,the tab is in an ineffecfive position. Swinging the leg assemblies 10through degrees relative to the main body structure 8 then permits thetab to pop outwardly from the leg 20 and engage the lower edge of the Uof the main body structure 8. This then prevents the leg from movingback towards its collapsed position. Connecting the two side legs 20 ofthe leg assembly 10 there is a flat metal structure 22. This structureis positioned on one side of the vertical web 6 of a main runner member2 and is provided with a hole 24 into which a sheet metal screw may beplaced to fasten the structure 22 to the vertical web 6 of the mainrunner structure. This in turn will result in the attachment of thesupport bar to the main runner structure. At the point where the flatstructure 22 engages the triangular legs 20, the triangular legs areprovided with a notch structure 26. Into this notch structure 26 ispositioned the top of the vertical web 6 of the main runner structure 2.The combination of the notch resting on the vertical web plus the flatstructure 22 positioned on one side of the vertical web will hold thesupport bar in position. The provision of a screw through hole 24 willpermanently lock the structures together.

There is now provided a support bar for lighting fixtures which may beshipped in a collapsed state and readily extended to span the distancebetween two adjacent main runner structures to support a light fixturetherein. On the left side of the showing of the support bar in thedrawing. there is shown in dotted line form the leg in its collapsedstate. The right side of the support bar of the same drawing shows theleg in its extended state in engagement with the vertical web of a mainrunner structure.

What is claimed is:

1. The support bar for supporting a light fixture within a suspendedceiling system. the suspended ceiling system being composed of mainrunner structures which are generally of an inverted T shape with anupwardly extending vertical web, said support bar structure being of alength approximately that of the spacing between two adjacent mainrunner structures, said support bar having two pivotally-connected legsat the ends of the support bar structure, said pivoted legs having meanson the ends of the legs for engaging the top ponly of the vertical webof the main runner structures to support the support bar in position ontwo adjacent main runner structures. said legs for the support bar aregenerally U-shaped with two sides and a connecting part and with theends of the two sides of the U shape extending on either side of themain body of the support bar, each of the sides at their ends near theconnecting part containing a notch which engages only the top of thevertical web of the main runner structure and the connecting partbetween the two sides of the U- shaped leg being positioned on one sideof the vertical web of the main runner structure.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein there is means to lock the legs intheir extended position generally perpendicular to the ends of the mainbody of the support bar.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein means are provided on the legs forfastening the legs to the vertical web of the main runner structures topermanently lock the support bar and main runner structure together.

1. The support bar for supporting a light fixture within a suspendedceiling system, the suspended ceiling system being composed of mainrunner structures which are generally of an inverted T shape with anupwardly extending vertical web, said support bar structure being of alength approximately that of the spacing between two adjacent mainrunner structures, said support bar having two pivotally-connected legsat the ends of the support bar structure, said pivoted legs having meanson the ends of the legs for engaging the top ponly of the vertical webof the main runner structures to support the support bar in position ontwo adjacent main runner structures, said legs for the support bar aregenerally U-shaped with two sides and a connecting part and with theends of the two sides of the U shape extending on either side of themain body of the support bar, each of the sides at their ends near theconnecting part containing a notch which engages only the top of thevertical web of the main runner structure and the connecting partbetween the two sides of the Ushaped leg being positioned on one side ofthe vertical web of the main runner structure.
 2. The structure of claim1 wherein there is means to lock the legs in their extended positiongenerally perpendicular to the ends of the main body of the support bar.3. The structure of claim 2 wherein means are provided on the legs forfastening the legs to the vertical web of the main runner structures topermanently lock the support bar and main runner structure together.